Henry II

1. Henry II Mrs. Tucker 7th Grade World History/Honors Cobalt Institute of Math and Science

2. Henry II Henry II, became King of England in 1154. Henry spent the early part of his reign establishing control over England's powerful barons. When he became king, Henry arranged for the world's best scholars to visit his court so that he could discuss important issues with them. Henry spent many hours studying Roman history. Henry realized that he had to control England's powerful barons. His first step was to destroy all the castles that had been built during Stephen's reign. Henry then took action to unite the people of England. He allowed several of Stephen's officials to keep their government posts. Another strategy used by Henry was to arrange marriages between rival families. The power of the English king increased under Henry II. Henry ruled England from 1154 to 1189. Henry utilized the law courts to increase his power. He set up a central court with trained lawyers and judges. Then he appointed circuit judges, who traveled across the country hearing cases. He also established a body of common law, or law that was the same throughout the whole kingdom. Henry set up juries to handle arguments over land. In time, two kinds of juries developed. The grand jury decided whether people should be accused of a crime. The trial jury decided whether an accused person was innocent or guilty. When Henry became king he appointed his friend, Thomas Becket, as his chancellor. Later, Henry chose Becket as his next Archbishop of Canterbury. The decision angered many leading churchmen. Becket was a close friend of Henry II, and they feared he would not be an independent church leader. Henry's attempts to reform the courts controlled by the church led to conflict with Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The king decided that clergymen found guilty of serious crimes should be handed over to his courts. Thomas Becket asserted that the church should retain control of punishing its own clergy. The king believed that Becket had betrayed him and was determined to obtain revenge.

3. Henry II In 1164, Becket was involved in a dispute over land. Henry ordered Becket to appear before his courts. When Becket refused, the king confiscated his property. Henry also claimed that Becket had stolen £300 from government funds when he had been Chancellor. Becket denied the charge. Henry mentioned other charges, including treason, and Becket ran away to France. When Becket returned to England, he excommunicated (expelled from the Christian Church) leading churchmen who had supported Henry. Henry was furious when he heard the news and supposedly shouted out: "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?" Four of Henry's knights heard Henry's angry outburst decided to travel to England to see Becket. When the knights arrived at Canterbury Cathedral on 29th December 1170, they demanded that Becket pardon the men he had excommunicated. When Becket refused, they hacked him to death with their swords. The Christian world was shocked by Becket's murder. The pope canonized Becket and he became a symbol of Christian resistance to the power of the monarchy. His shrine at Canterbury became the most important place in the country for pilgrims to visit. Although Henry admitted that his comments had led to the death of Becket, he argued that he had neither commanded nor wished the man's death. In 1172 Pope Alexander III accepted these arguments and absolved Henry from Becket's murder. In return. Henry had to provide 200 men for a crusade to the Holy Land and had to agree to being whipped by eighty monks. Most importantly of all. Henry agreed to drop his plans to have criminal clerics tried in his courts.